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REPORT 



SPECIAL COMMITTEE 



PRIMARY SCHOOL BOARD, 



PORTION OF THE REMARKS 



GRAMMAR MASTERS 




BOSTON : 
JOHN H. EASTBURN, CITY PRINTER. 



1844. 



.'■ 






In Primary School Committee, 

Boston, October 8, 1844. 

Voted, That Messrs. Bayley, Jones, Charles Brooks, 
Woart, and Brown, be a Committee to consider the sup- 
posed allusion to the Boston Primary Schools, on the 98th 
and 99th pages of a pamphlet lately published by the Mas- 
ters of the Grammar Schools of Boston, entitled " Re- 
marks on the Seventh Annual Report of Horace Mann, 
Secretary of the Board of Education ;" to report at a fu- 
meetin 

Attest. 

ALVAN SIMONDS, Secretary. 



At a meeting of the Primary School Committee of the 
City of Boston, held November 8, 1844, a Report was pre- 
sented from a Committee appointed at a previous meeting ; 
which Report was unanimously adopted in the following 
form, and ordered to be printed and circulated under the 
direction of the same Committee. 

Attest, 

ALVAN SIMONDS, Secretary. 






<sn 



RE POUT. 



The Special Committee of your Board, appointed to 
examine pages 98 and 99 of a pamphlet entitled 
" Remarks on the Seventh Annual Report of the 
Hon. Horace Mann, Secretary of the Massachu- 
setts Board of Education," having attended to that 
duty, present the following 

REPORT: 

The pamphlet of " Remarks" is published with 
the expressed approval of 31 -of the Masters con- 
nected with the Grammar Schools of this City, and 
therefore merits the careful attention and considera- 
tion of all who are interested and engaged in the 
subject of education. 

Our attention, however, is confined to pages 98 
and 99, which we have examined with due care, and 
find them to contain several statements in reference 
to the Primary Schools under the control of your 
Board, deserving our serious notice, and which are 
as follows : 

" The elements must be taught somewhere. If neg- 
lected in the primary schools, they must be taught in 
the grammar schools. And thus the order of things is re- 
versed, and disarrangement introduced into the whole 
school system. The teacher who is employed, and paid, 
for instructing in the higher branches, is compelled to de- 
vote time and attention to the studies appropriately be- 
longing to schools of a lower grade. This is found to be 



4 

the case, to too great an extent, in the schools of our city. 
We do not say this to the disparagement of the primary 
school teachers, or from the belief, that there is a want of 
fidelity on their part. We believe it to be, in part, at 
least, owing to the system of teaching, or rather want of 
system, in the primary schools. The books used in these 
schools, according to the author's own account of them, 
are adapted to either system. This is equivalent to say- 
ing that they are adapted to neither ; for it is impossible 
to see how two methods, so entirely different from each 
other, as those under consideration, can be embraced in one 
series of books. After repeated inquiries made in many 
of the primary schools of the city, we are persuaded, that 
the teachers have taken the full amount of license allow- 
ed them, by the author of the books which they use. 
Some begin with the alphabet ; others require the child- 
ren to learn eight or ten words, from which they teach 
the several letters, though not in the order in which they 
are arranged in the alphabet. Some carry the process of 
teaching words to a greater extent, yet require the child 
to learn to spell, before teaching him to read. Others, as 
will appear, teach the children to read, without making 
them at all acquainted with the letters. One evil, result- 
ing from this want of system, is a great neglect of spell- 
ing. It is the opinion of those masters who have been 
longest in the service, and can therefore compare the re- 
sults of the two systems, that in respect to spelling, among 
the candidates for admission from the primary schools, 
there has been a great deterioration during the trial of the 
new system ; a period of about six years. The following 
instance, which occurred a few weeks since, though per- 
haps, an extreme case, well illustrates a large class of ca- 
ses, in which there is a deplorable neglect of spelling. 
A girl in her tenth year, presented herself for admission 
into one of the grammar schools, with a certificate of qual- 
ification from the district committee. The master gave 
her to read, the sentence beginning with the words, 
'■ Now if Christ be preached," &c The third word, she 
called " Jesus," and persisted in saying it was so pro- 
nounced. She was requested to spell it ; the master, at 
the same time, pointing out the first letter. This letter, 
she called " Jesus." The first letter of the alphabet was 
pointed out ; the pupil uttered " and"; the second letter 
was shown her; "but," was her response. The letter m, 
she called " man." She was sent to the assistant teachers 



of the school, who found her totally ignorant of the alpha- 
bet. The master sent her back to the primary school, 
with her certificate endorsed, "not qualified; can be ad- 
mitted only by the authority of the sub-committee of the 
grammar school." 

And, bore we may remark, tbat the testimony of able 
primary school teachers themselves, who have tried both 
systems, is adverse to this mode of teaching reading. 
They declare that in the end, nothing is gained, but much 
is lost ; that the (ask of teaching the alphabet, and the 
art of combining letters into words, are more difficult, and 
less satisfactory, than if the child had begun with the 
letters." 

There are seven subjects in these statements to 
which we would particularly advert. 

First. It is stated to be " the case to too great an 
extent, in the schools of our City," that the elements 
are not taught. 

Second. That this neglect (of teaching "the ele- 
ments") is " in part, at least, owing to the system of 
teaching, or rather want of system in the Primary 
Schools." 

Third. That the course of instruction pursued in 
these schools, leads to " a great neglect of spelling." 

Fourth. That the books used in the Primary 
Schools are not adapted to the wants of these 
Schools. 

Fifth. That children are taught, in some of our 
Primary Schools, " to read without making them at 
all acquainted with the letters." 

Sixth. That the information of these Masters, as 
to the mode of instruction, is derived from " repeated 
inquiries made in many of the Primary Schools of 
the City." 

Seventh. An instance of a case is given to illus- 
trate " a large class of cases," and as tending to show, 



that " there is a deplorable neglect of spelling" in 
our Primary Schools. 

Your Committee thought that the best way of 
meeting six of these statements, would be to propose 
sundry questions to the Teachers of our Primary 
Schools ; and accordingly they prepared and present- 
ed seven, to every Teacher, and each one gave an 
immediate written reply, without having an opportu- 
nity to consult or advise with one another. 

The Questions were as follows : 

1. What method do you use to teach your children to 
spell, and in what class are they taught the Alphabet? 

2. Do you teach children to read " without making 
them at all acquainted with the letters ?" 

3. Do you think that the system of the Books used in 
the school leads to a " neglect of spelling," and is it your 
practice to teach children to spell ? 

4. Do you believe that the system of the books adopt- 
ed in your school is suited to the capacities of the child- 
ren ? 

5. How many Masters of the Grammar Schools have 
visited your school during the past six years, and at what 
dates, and have such Masters made any inquiry as to 
your mode of teaching spelling and reading ? 

6. Have you known of an " instance" of a child being 
sent from the Primary School to the Grammar School, 
" totally ignorant of the Alphabet ?" 

7. How many children sent from your school to the 
Grammar School, during the last six years, have been re- 
jected for want of suitable qualifications ? 

From the replies of the Teachers, it appears, 
First. That in all the Primary Schools in this 
City, " the elements," or Alphabet, are taught in the 
fourth or lowest class. 

Second. That in no single instance are the child- 
ren taught "to read without making them at all ac- 
quainted with the letters." 



Third. That in the opinion of the Teachers the 
system of the books used in the Schools does not 
lead to a neglect of spelling ; and all the Teachers, 
without an exception, teach the children to spell.* 

Fourth. The Teachers approve of the books 
now used by them in the Schools, and consider them 
adapted to the capacities of the children; and in 
this connexion, your Committee would state, that of 
the 1 17 Teachers, there are only 3, who give an un- 
qualified objection to the books and system ; 9 others 
qualify their answers by suggesting what they think 
would be an improvement in the books and system, 
their principal objection being that the words are not 
divided into syllables in the first book. 

Fifth. That during the last six years, not over 
twenty visits have been made by the Masters of the 
Grammar Schools to the Primary Schools. Six of 
these visits were made by the supposed author of 
these statements, in the latter part of last June, and 
he then made inquiries as to the mode of instruction. 
The other visits, with one or two exceptions, had 
no reference to the method of teaching. 

Sixth. Not any of the Teachers have known, or 
heard, of children being sent from the Primary to 
the Grammar Schools, ignorant of the Alphabet, ex- 
cepting the case mentioned in the pamphlet. 

Seventh. Only 46 of the children sent from our 
Primary Schools to the Grammar Schools, within six 
years, have been rejected; of these, 10 were reject- 
ed at one time because they did not read loud enough ; 

*One Teacher remarks, in answer to the first part of question 3d, "I 
do not, but the reverse." 

Another says : " I think the books used in our Schools are excellent, 
and those who cannot teach and be taught by them, must be hopeless 
subjects." 



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the rejection of nearly all the others was said to be 
owing to some defect in reading. Your Committee 
have found, that 34 of the number rejected for want 
of qualifications, were sent from the Intermediate 
Schools, which are not ranked as Primary Schools, 
but designed to take up and prepare for the Gram- 
mar Schools a class of children older than those be- 
longing to the Primary Schools ; these therefore 
being an exception to the Primary Schools, should 
not be regarded in the report. Deducting, therefore, 
34 from the whole number, 46, will leave 12 reject- 
ed from the Primary Schools for want of qualifica- 
tions, during the six years ; this, certainly, cannot jus- 
tify the idea which is entertained by some that " it is 
not uncommon for children to be rejected for want 
of qualifications." Your Committee would add, that 
deficiency in spelling has never been made the rea- 
son for such rejection, in a single instance. During 
these six years, there have been sent from our Schools 
to the Grammar Schools about 8,000 children. 

In answer to the seventh subject, we present to 
the Board the following account received from Dr. 
Odin. 

To the Sub-Committee of the Primary School Board. 
Gentlemen : 

In accordance with your request, I will endeavor 
to give you the language used by me in the state- 
ment of facts to the Board, touching the case of the 
girl noticed in the " Remarks" of the Masters, as 
sent to the Grammar School. I stated, that the history 
of the girl could be traced back to her first entrance 
into any School ; and that her first teacher, several 
years ago, taught her the alphabet and words of two 



or three letters ; and that her successive teachers de- 
clare that she knew her letters, and was capable of 
reading easy words ; that ray first knowledge of her, 
was when I gave her a permit to enter the School for 
Special Instruction, on the first of May, 1843. I 
then gave the following account of her course, which 
I have from her Teacher. When she entered the 
School, she was placed in the Second Division of 
the Third Class — could spell easy words, and read the 
first lessons in " My First School-Book." In reading, 
she had the habit of spelling all the words before 
pronouncing them ; and at no time did she appear 
ignorant of the letters of the alphabet. In August, 
1 843, she was advanced to the First Division of the 
Third Class ; and in November following, to the 
Second Class. While in this class, the habit of spell- 
ing before pronouncing was eradicated. The only 
difficulty remaining, was, her being so confused when 
spelling a word wrongly, as to be unable, readily, to 
correct the error ; but before she left the class, she 
overcame this infirmity sufficiently to spell well. 
January 1, 1844, she became a member of the First 
Class, and would learn a lesson, and read as correct- 
ly, and with as much expression, as any child in the 
class, — particularly in verse, — as she seemed to ac- 
quire the sentiment more readily than the other 
children. If a new lesson was to be read, she would 
hesitate, be confused, and make mistakes, till she 
had learned the sense, and then she was as ready as 
any one. She had, from a peculiar organization of 
mind, the habit of using synonymes in her reading — 
(frequently words better than the text.) She was the 
best arithmetician in the School, readily answering 
any question in Emerson's First Part. She had like- 



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wise a readiness in printing letters and words on her 
slate, which was quite creditable, and induced her 
Teacher to urge her forward, that she might sooner 
enjoy the advantages of a Grammar School. 

This girl, thus qualified, was presented for my ex- 
amination, on the 29th of March, 1844, in company 
with nine other children, comprising the first class. 
fler Teacher, at the time, expressed a fear that she 
might not appear sufficiently well, to receive a cer- 
tificate, because she was so readily confused, and, 
when in this state of mind, apt to commit errors. I 
spent upwards of an hour in the examination ; she 
appeared so well prepared, in all the branches requi- 
site, and in some, if not all, so superior to her class- 
mates, that I did not hesitate to give my certificate, 
and directed her to go to the Franklin School. A 
few days after, a certificate which I had given to a 
boy of the same class, was handed to me, on which 
was endorsed, " not qualified, can be admitted only 
by consent of the Sub-Committee of the School," or 
words to the same effect. Whether signed by the 
Grammar Master, or not, I cannot say, but was told 
it was for this girl. So long had I been accustomed 
to make examinations in the Grammar and Prima- 
ry Schools, that I felt a confidence in having done 
right, and such a summary return of my certificate on- 
ly confirmed me in my impression. I then requested 
the Teacher to receive her back, if she should apply, 
and continue to instruct her, intending to make ap- 
plication at some other School. She did not, however, 
return to the School immediately ; in fact, I was not 
aware of her being there, until the Chairman of the 
Board, some three weeks since, called my attention 
to the case, as reported in the " Remarks," when I 



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requested him to visit the school, immediately with me, 
and make inquiry of the Teacher. We found her as 
unprepared as myself for so bold and unwarrantable 
an attack. The Teacher told us the child was then 
in her seat. We questioned her (the child) as to her 
examination at the Grammar School ; she said she 
was confused, — and when asked what the words 
"and," " but," &x., were, pronounced them correctly; 
for the inquiry of the Master was, "what's that?" 
pointing to the word. We examined her in reading, 
spelling, and the letters of the alphabet. The Chair- 
man said she was fully qualified for the Grammar 
School ; and when we learned she had had but about 
six weeks' instruction since her rejection in April, he 
declared that she must have been qualified then. 
She was detained at home, by the sickness of her 
father, until the first of July. Subsequently I request- 
ed three of the Masters, who signed the " Remarks," 
to visit the School with me, and satisfy themselves as 
to the case ; and I am happy to say, that, after a 
thorough examination of the qualifications of the girl, 
they expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied that 
she now knows the letters of the alphabet, and is qual- 
ified for the Grammar School. One of the gentlemen 
thought she might have learned all in six weeks ! 
The other two, that she must have known her letters 
in April, but, owing to some peculiar circumstances, 
was prevented doing herself justice. I said the same 
to the Board. I also said to the Board, that, though 
the high character and standing of this school, (infe- 
rior to none of its class,) the untiring and devoted ef- 
forts of a thorough Teacher, and my own personal 
interest in the School, had thus publicly been libelled, 
I was willing to look at the case in a charitable light, 



12 

and considering the position of a timid girl, in a new 
and large place, filled with two hundred or more boys, 
before whom she was to be examined, I was willing 
to allow that her natural sensitiveness may have over- 
powered her, and caused the result spoken of in the 
pamphlet. I invited any and all of the Committee 
to examine the case for themselves ; and if, after the 
most rigid examination, they could not sustain me, 
then, indeed, should I be amenable to their reproof, 
and unworthy of a seat at their Board. 

To all the facts I had stated, I held myself ready 
to make affidavit. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

JOHN ODIN, Jr. 

Boston, October 19, 1844. 

Your Committee would remark, in this connex- 
ion, that several members of the Standing Commit- 
tee, immediately after the report came to their 
knowledge, visited the School, and upon a most 
rigid examination of the girl, found that she was 
fully qualified, in every particular, for admission 
into the Grammar School. 

Your Committee deem it unnecessary to make 
many comments in relation to these replies ; the an- 
swers of the Teachers, are plain and to the point, 
and that of Dr. Odin, sufficiently conclusive. 

We would however remark, that the small num- 
ber of rejections within six years does not indicate a 
deterioration in the Schools, but tends to confirm the 
observation of His Honor the Mayor, that the im- 
provement of the higher Schools is attributable, in 
part, " to the improved condition and better prepara- 
tion of the children on admission from the Primary 



13 

Schools." There is an apparent inconsistency be- 
tween these statements of the Masters and the opin- 
ion of the Mayor, which opinion these Masters have 
quoted in the former part of the " Remarks," and by 
that quotation signified that they believed his obser- 
vation to be correct. The Board will perceive, from 
the facts presented, the direct opposition of all the 
statements of the Primary Teachers to all the state- 
ments of the pamphlet. We regret that we have 
been placed in such an attitude by these "Remarks," 
and cannot conceive that there was the least neces- 
sity for introducing our Primary Schools, into their 
(the Masters') controversy with Mr. Mann. 

We feel that we should fail in our duty to the 
Schools under our care, were we to act on the de- 
fensive, less than we have done in this matter. 

Respectfully submitted, 

R. W. BAYLEY, Chairman, 
FRANCIS BROWN, 
JOHN WOART, 
CHARLES BROOKS, 
EBEN JONES, Secretary. 

November 8, 1844. 



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